Reef Fish Harvest Trends, Biscayne National Park Dade County, Florida

Tilmant, James; Stone, Roger

The National Park Service has maintained a program to monitor the harvest of fish from Biscayne National Park since January, 1976. Through sport fishermen creel census and commercial fishermen interviews, an eight year record of observed harvest, harvest-rate, and length composition of the harvest have been obtained. Estimates of total park-wide fishing effort and total harvest have been made possible through aerial boat survey - boat ramp count correlations followed up by on-water interviews to obtain the proportion .of fishermen among total boaters. Between 1,500 and 3,500 recreational fishing parties have been interviewed annually. This represents between 15 - 22% of the estimated total recreational fishing boats using the park. Approximately 47% of all recreational fishermen using the park fish within the reef zone. An additional 20% fish along the edge of the outer reefs and into the gulf stream. Although commercial fishing is allowed within the park, only a very limited number of reef finfish are taken by commercial hook and line fishermen. However, commercial ballyhoo harvest by netting is substantial as is commercial lobster harvest. Spearfishing comprises between 13 - 16% of the recreational effort for reef finfish and this gear is the major means of harvest for the hagfish (Lachnolaimus maximus). Spearfishing also comprises approximately 50% of the grouper harvest but, otherwise is relatively unimportant. Attached are a series of Tables and Figures summarizing our observations and analysis of this data to date.

Reef Fish Harvest Trends, Biscayne National Park Dade County, Florida

Collections